Swiss cheese fondue with oyster mushrooms and beer
- Preparation 5 min
- Cooking 20 min
- Servings 2-4
- Freezing I do not suggest
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🤷 Why not?
The question isn’t why I make a Swiss cheese fondue with oyster mushrooms and beer. It’s why not? This one is really, genuinely good, and once you’ve tasted it, you’ll understand why it keeps coming back into my rotation.
🧀 Store-bought fondue, taken further
Yes, I start from a ready-made Swiss fondue cheese, the boxed kind from the grocery store. But then I take it somewhere else: sautéed oyster mushrooms with shallot and garlic, two Quebec abbey cheeses added in, and a tripel beer that ties it all together. Simple to make, and absolutely delicious.
💕 My date-night fondue
This is the one I make for a quiet night in as a couple, for Valentine’s Day, or whenever I want to impress without making my life complicated. It also works great with friends on a Friday night, when everyone’s in the mood to treat themselves.
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🫙 The warm water trick
Before you even open the box, drop the sealed cheese envelope in a bowl of very warm water for 5 to 10 minutes. The cheese slides right out after that, no fighting with the cardboard. It’s my own trick, and I use it every single time.
🍄 No oyster mushrooms on hand?
Shiitake or cremini mushrooms work great. A wild mushroom blend, I’ll admit, I’ve never tried in this recipe, but it would surely be delicious.
🧀 The abbey cheese duo
Mont St-Benoit is a firm, Swiss-style cheese, mild, with hazelnut notes and the small holes typical of the style. If you want a Quebec cheese from the same family, Louis d’Or sits in that same firm, pressed-cheese world, with a bolder edge. Le Moine leans closer to a gruyère: firm, cooked curd, notes of hazelnut and melted butter. Alfred Le Fermier has a similar profile, with a washed rind on top.
🍺 No tripel beer at home?
A blonde or a witbier will do the job just fine.
📅 Make-ahead
Nope, this one comes together at the last minute. It’s quick, so there’s really no reason to start it ahead of time anyway.
🥡 Leftovers?
It keeps in the fridge in an airtight container for a few days. Reheat it gently over low heat, stirring often. If it struggles to come back together, use it as a filling for homemade ravioli: it works better than you’d think.
✅ What to serve with my swiss cheese fondue with oyster mushrooms and beer?
A big loaf of fruit-and-nut bread, the kind sold in most large grocery stores, cut into cubes. Green apples, green grapes, thinly sliced raw chorizo, and lightly blanched broccoli and cauliflower. If you’re in the mood for something more classic another time, my classic cheese fondue is always a safe bet, and if you like bolder flavours, my smoked cheese fondue with beer-caramelized onions is worth the detour too.
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Ingredients
- 1 pack (400 g) Swiss cheese fondue
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) butter
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 170 g oyster mushrooms, chopped
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) Belgian-style tripel beer
- 150 g Mont St-Benoit cheese, grated
- 150 g Le Moine cheese, grated
- 4 teaspoons (20 ml) cornstarch diluted in 4 tablespoons (60 ml) cold water
Side suggestion
- Artisan bread with fruits and nuts ( raisins, cranberries, etc )
- Green grapes
- Green apples
- Chorizo
- Brocoli heads, lightly blanched
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Preparation
- Remove the Swiss cheese from its carton box and place the unopened envelope in warm water. This will make it easier to remove the cheese from there!
- In a medium non-stick sauce pan at medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of butter and add the shallot with garlic. Stir and cook for about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of butter then season with salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 4 minutes.
- Add the beer and stir well. Bring heat slightly higher and pour the cheeses in the pan. Cook while stirring often for about 5 to 7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and hot.
- Add the cornstarch mix and stir well. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until thick. Serve with a big nuts and fruits artisan bread along with your favorite sides!
I go with fresh oyster mushrooms, sautéed with shallot and garlic before they hit the cheese. No oyster mushrooms on hand? Shiitake or cremini work great too. A wild mushroom mix would probably be amazing, though I haven’t tried it myself yet.
I start from a store-bought Swiss fondue cheese, then build on it with two Quebec abbey cheeses: Mont St-Benoit, a firm, nutty cheese, and Le Moine, which is closer to a gruyère. Together they make a rounder, deeper fondue than the Swiss cheese on its own.
Cubed artisan bread loaded with fruits and nuts, green apples, green grapes, thinly sliced raw chorizo, and lightly blanched broccoli and cauliflower. That’s my go-to spread for cheese fondue night.
Yes. Swap the beer for broth, or even apple juice, and if you still want that hoppy edge, a non-alcoholic beer works just as well.
A fondue pot over a small burner on low heat is your best bet. No fondue set? Keep it on the stove at the lowest setting and stir it every so often.
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